KPA Journal Vol. 1 No. 7

KPAJOURNAL VOL. 1, NO. 7 KPA M-1992/I AT-4 ATGM on parade in P’yongyang. Note the AGS-17 grenade launcher on the roof above the driver. (KCNA) 1950s when small numbers of the BTR-40 and BTR-152 In This Issue were provided by the Soviet Union.2 e BTR-152s are re- e KPA Mechanized Infantry Battalion ..................1 ported to have been in inventory from 1955, while the BTR- BTR-60 in KPA Service ................................................4 40 from 1958. Addendum: Han-gang Bridges ...................................5 It wasn’t until the late 1960s when additional APCs Addendum: P’okpoong Main Battle Tank .................5 entered KPA service with the arrival of the Soviet BTR-50P Editor’s Notes ................................................................6 and BTR-60PA/PB and the Chinese Type 63A (a.k.a., A- 531). e KPA would eventually acquire 240-280 BTR- 60PA/PBs, 50-100 BTR-152/-40/-50P and 160-180 Chinese KPA Mechanized Infantry Battalion1 Type 63As. these later vehicles are known as the M-1967 by e Korean People’s Army (KPA) fields approximately 3,900 the Republic of Korea (ROK) and U.S. tanks and 2,100 armored personnel carriers (APC). While During the late 1960s-early 1970s the DPRK com- these later vehicles can be found throughout the KPA they menced domestic research, development and production of are concentrated in the mechanized infantry battalions or- numerous tanks, self-propelled guns and APCs including ganic to mechanized infantry and tank brigades and subor- the Chinese Type 63B/C/D (B-531 and YW-531C/D). Pro- dinate to the General Staff Department’s Tank Command. duction of these later vehicles would eventually include e KPA’s mechanized and tank divisions and brigades rep- numerous variants for mortar, artillery, antitank, antiair- resent its strategic mobile reserve, mobile counter-invasion cra, command, and engineer vehicles and would in due force, and the exploitation force for its “one-blow-nonstop- course become the KPA’s standard APC. is family of ve- attack” against the ROK. hicles is generally known as the M-1973/VTT-323 by the Background ROK and U.S. ese efforts and the acquisition of other vehicles allowed the KPA to initiate the first phase of a e KPA received its first APCs during the mid-to-late comprehensive force expansion and mechanization pro- 1 July 2010 www.kpajournal.com the four forward corps (I, II, IV and V). Some of these “new” mechanized units initially possessed a high number of motorized units equipped with trucks rather than APC equipped mechanized units. is ratio would, during the late 1980s and 1990s, gradually shi in favor of mechanized units as more APCs and other self-propelled systems became available. e second phase of the KPA’s force expansion and mechanization program would continue into the early 1990s (e.g., a second artillery corps was established during 1990-1991). ese modernization efforts would slow dra- KPA VTT-323 APC on parade. Note the SA-16 SAMs matically during the early 1990s as the DPRK entered a long mounted behind turret. (KCNA) period of economic collapse. Research, development and production of numerous tanks, self-propelled guns and gram during the early 1970s. APCs, however, did continue. Albeit, at a slower pace and a As best as can presently be determined the early APCs number of new platforms based upon the M-1967/VTT-323 were not concentrated into mechanized infantry battalions, entered service in limited numbers within tank and mecha- but rather dispersed among the headquarters and recon- nized units. naissance elements of infantry divisions deployed along the DMZ. Subsequently, mechanized infantry battalions are believed to have been established subordinate to the Gen- eral Staff Department’s Tank Command and within the 105th Tank Division. As more APCs became available during the mid-late 1970s mechanized infantry battalions were established within the independent tank regiments. During the early 1980s the increased production of tanks, self-propelled artillery and armored vehicles allowed the KPA to execute the second phase of its force expansion and mechanization. is first witnessed the formation of seven mechanized divisions and then four mechanized corps, a tank corps and a artillery corps during the mid 1980s. Concerning the mechanized divisions, these were formed by reorganizing motorized infantry divisions within the III Corps (West coast around P’yongyang and Namp’o), KPA VTT-323 M-1992 SP ATGM. (KPA) VII Corps (East coast around Wonsan and Hamhung) and During the early 1990s the KPA initiated a shi to- wards improving its asymmetric warfare capabilities. is was precipitated by extensive study of, and lessons learned from, Operation DESERT STORM, e validity and impor- tance of these organizational changes was reinforced by additional lessons learned from Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. As a result during the early 2000s one artillery corps was reformed into a division and surplus assets distributed to the forward corps. is was followed by the reorganization of seven infantry divisions into light infantry divisions and the expansion of special operations forces within the forward corps deployed along the DMZ. By 2006 the two mechanized corps were reorganized into two mechanized KPA Journal is Copyright © 2010 by Joseph S. Bermudez Jr. All rights are reserved. Permission for reprints can be ob- KPA VTT-323 APCs on parade. (KCNA) tained by contacting [email protected]. 2 July 2010 www.kpajournal.com infantry divisions (bringing the total to four), the tank rity, and rear services.3 It was equipped with 1 APC and 6 corps was reorganized as a tank division, and the remaining trucks. artillery corps was reorganized as an artillery division. e three mechanized infantry companies were identi- Organization cal and each consisted of approximately 106 officers and enlisted personnel and was organized into a headquarters Within the KPA the mechanized infantry battalions are and three mechanized infantry platoons. Each company organic to both mechanized infantry brigades and tank had 10 APCs (one for the company commander and three brigades. Additionally, a small number can be found subor- in each platoon). dinate to the General Staff Department’s Tank Command. e mortar battery consisted of approximately 57 offi- e tables of organization and establishment (TOE) for cers and enlisted personnel and was organized into a head- the mechanized infantry battalion have always been based quarters and three 82 mm mortar platoons. It was equipped upon that of the standard infantry battalion—a headquar- with 9 mortars and 9 trucks.4 ters, three infantry companies, a mortar battery and anti- e antitank platoon consisted of approximately 24 tank platoon. Over time as larger quantities of more mod- officers and enlisted personnel and was equipped with four ern equipment became available the mechanized infantry 107 mm B-11 recoilless rifles and four trucks.5 TOE appears to have undergone at least two, and possibly During the 1980s-1990s the DPRK engaged in the re- three, major revisions. Generally, these organization devel- search, development and production of a wide range of opments can be arranged chronologically as 1960s-1970s, tanks and armored vehicles. Concerning the mechanized 1980s-1990s and 2000 to present. Despite this seemingly infantry battalion the most significant development was the orderly chronological partitioning it appears that some KPA production of numerous VTT-323 based support vehicles. mechanized infantry units may retain older TOEs. is period also witnessed the acquisition of the Soviet/ Regardless of TOE, there are oen distinct differences Russian BMP-1 (and possibly BMP-2) armored fighting between units of the same type deployed within the forward vehicle in what is believed to have been small numbers. corps deployed along the DMZ and those within the rear ese efforts allowed for a general motorization and area corps. mechanization of the KPA and resulted in modification of e TOE for the mechanized infantry battalion during the mechanized infantry battalion TOE. 1960s-1970s consisted of approximately 460 officers and e 1980s-1990s mechanized infantry battalion built enlisted personnel and was organized into a headquarters upon the previous TOE but expanded it by the addition of a and rear services element, three mechanized infantry com- self-propelled air defense platoon, the adoption of antitank panies, mortar battery and a antitank platoon. It was guided missiles (ATGMs) and surface-to-air missiles equipped with 31 BTR-60, M-1967 or M-1973 APCs and (SAMs) and the mechanization of the mortar and antitank approximately 19 trucks. platoons. e battalion now consisted of approximately e battalion headquarters and rear services element consisted of four components: staff, political, political secu- Mechanized Infantry Battalion 1960s-1970s Mechanized Infantry Battalion 1980s-1990s 3 July 2010 www.kpajournal.com 525-550 officers and enlisted personnel and was organized SP mortar battery 9-11 VTT-323 82 mm mortars into a headquarters and rear services element, three SP air defense platoon 3-5 M-1992 VTT-323 37 mm mechanized infantry companies, self-propelled mortar bat- SPAAG tery (82 mm), self-propelled antitank platoon (AT-3/4/5 ATGMs) and a self-propelled air defense platoon. It is Currently, while the mechanized infantry battalion has equipped with approximately 46-54 APCs and 14-15 trucks. been standardized on the VTT-323 and its variants, there ese APCs are distributed as follows, are also a small number of BTR-60 and BMP equipped units. Likewise, a significant number of M-1967s remain in HQ 1-3 M-1967/VTT-323 APCs service. Although these later vehicles appear to have been Mech. Infantry Co. (3) 10 VTT-323 APCs each (some moved into headquarters and support elements. equipped with SA-7/16) While the majority of the KPA’s mechanized infantry SP mortar battery 9-11 VTT-323 82 mm mortars battalions are believed to follow this TOE preliminary in- SP antitank platoon 3-5 M-1985 AT-3, M-1992 formation suggests that since 2000 further changes have VTT-323 ATGM or M-1992 I occurred within some mechanized infantry battalions.

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